How exactly did we not get Ryan Davis?

[Robbo]

He's a scholarship player from NSW and will make his debut for the weagles after being promoted off the rookie list.

I don't know much about the scholarship program or how it works, but this kid looks like he's a better player than any of the NSW rookies we drafted last year, he's been ripping it up in the WAFL, I doubt Beckmans and Terlich could do that. And given the emphasis that we put on NSW talent, I'm pretty pissed that we missed out on him.

Maybe there's a rule I don't know about which stopped us from getting him.

[Mike_B]

Robbo,

In an effort to help more NSW kids reach the top level, each club has the opportunity to sign a NSW player as a scholarship player.

There was a big story last year based on a kid who grew up supporting the Swans who chose to go to Hawthorn due to perceived better opportunities to play seniors earlier (linked to us not playing guys in their first couple of years on the list as the norm)

[Robbo]

So how come we didn't sign him as a scholarship player?

[liz]

Your opening sentence gives you most of your answer. He was a scholarship player. That means that West Coast signed him up two or maybe even three years ago and from thereon had first dibs on him.

Who knows whether he was a player the Swans gave serious consideration to offering a scholarship to. Or maybe they did and he chose West Coast instead. The facts are that when the scheme was introduced all clubs had to offer at least one scholarship, and I believe there is still a limit of two per year per club (to a maximum of 6 current at any one time). So it is simply not possible for the Swans to sign all the better young players.

For so long we've been used to having almost exclusive access to the scant NSW talent there was, other than the likes of Hayes and McVeigh snr who were good enough to attract high draft pick attention. Not because we actually had exclusive access but because few other clubs showed much interest. But we're going to have to get used to the fact that with the scholarship scheme focussing all clubs attention on finding players from NSW, there will be a steady trickle of decent youngsters playing at other clubs. And hopefully - for the good of the sport locally - many of them will go onto become good senior AFL players. It is no different to the situation elsewhere in the country where players are sent from their home states to all corners of the country.

Having said all that, the one I'm disappointed the Swans "missed out on" is Ranga Ediriwickrama. He is a genuinely pacy ballwinning midfielder and looks like he might become a very good player. And I suspect that Geelong only signed him up a little over a year ago because at the start of last season he was playing as a top-up player with the reserves. Once players get signed to other clubs they don't appear to be available to play with the reserves team. Whether that is the Swans choice or that of the host clubs, I do not know.

[connolly]

Maybe there's a rule I don't know about which stopped us from getting him.

Undoubtedly the "crucify Davo rule" which is keeping the greatest Swans forward since Bob Pratt out of the firsts due to Roosey's insane hatred of anything Davo.

[Wazza]

Undoubtedly the "crucify Davo rule" which is keeping the greatest Swans forward since Bob Pratt out of the firsts due to Roosey's insane hatred of anything Davo.

I thought it was the no D-heads rule, but you are funny greatest since Bob Pratt lol gold

Cheers

Waz

[stellation]

I thought it was the no D-heads rule, but you are funny greatest since Bob Pratt lol gold

Cheers

Waz

Yes, it's very witty.

[DST]

He's a scholarship player from NSW and will make his debut for the weagles after being promoted off the rookie list.

I don't know much about the scholarship program or how it works, but this kid looks like he's a better player than any of the NSW rookies we drafted last year, he's been ripping it up in the WAFL, I doubt Beckmans and Terlich could do that. And given the emphasis that we put on NSW talent, I'm pretty pissed that we missed out on him.

Maybe there's a rule I don't know about which stopped us from getting him.

Facts are Robbo that trying to pick talent at 17 years of age is hard, at 14 or 15 it's nigh on impossible.

We should be in a slightly better position than most, being on the ground 24/7 but the scheme allows each team to take up to 6 scholarship players so their is going to be plenty of youngsters that get picked by other clubs on a wing a prayer.

Oh and I wouldn't worry too much about Ryan Davis, wait till we see Ranga Whatshisname running around at Geelong in a couple of years time, tears will be shed.

DST

[DeadlyAkkuret]

He'll come home in 3 years anyway

[DST]

He'll come home in 3 years anyway

That will be a distinct possibilty going forward Deadly.

If it means more NSW born players on AFL lists, it can only benefit us in the longterm with hopefully better quality players who might want to return home or a player who just does not make it interstate but comes back and flourishes later.

DST

[satchmopugdog]

Josh Wooden didn't ever seem to want to come back to NSW.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Having said all that, the one I'm disappointed the Swans "missed out on" is Ranga Ediriwickrama. He is a genuinely pacy ballwinning midfielder and looks like he might become a very good player.

Is he Sri Lankan by chance? If so, is his action suspect?

JF